Blind Journey
by yjcalvini
Summary: Sequel to 'Seeds of Faith'
1. Chapter 1

**BLIND JOURNEY**

"You fool!" Dr. Triss angrily hissed. Triss had come to about thirty minutes ago and was horrified to what he had awakened to. Jadzia was alive, Dax was alive and neither the woman nor the symbiont knew who the hell they were or what they were. Dr. Julian Bashir sat at the briefing table along with Captain Sisko, Kira Nerys, and Worf. Triss paced back and forth, his hands clasped firmly behind his back.

"I don't understand what happened, why doesn't she remember anything?" Benjamin rubbed his right temple; he could feel a migraine coming on.

"Do you honestly think that Trill scientists and doctors before you haven't thought of the same thing centuries ago? Once a symbiont is removed from the host, their link is permanently broken! What has happened to Jadzia is not a shock, replacing a symbiont into its former host causes such disruption to the cerebral nuclei and the brain and one of two things occurs; the host and symbiont die from the shock or all memory is wiped away from the host and the symbiont exists in a vegetative state. Thanks to you Dr. Bashir, Dax is no more, the symbiont and everything that made it unique, all of the life times that it has seen, every experience is gone, forever!" Triss accused, this final statement ricocheted off of the metal bulkheads and a deafening silence fell across the room. The Trill doctor pulled out a chair next to Major Kira and fell like a heap into it and put his face in his hands.

"So Dax is dead?" Kira asked almost in a whisper.

"Yes, and as far as Jadzia…everything that made Jadzia, Jadzia is dead as well. She will never recover her memories as far as her childhood, career or her life here on the station." Triss was staring directly at Dr. Bashir now.

"Or me." Worf broke his silence. He breathed deeply and felt that over-bearing weight on his shoulders again; the weight he felt when he was told Jadzia might die. Now he regretted wanting her life to be spared. In truth, his Jadzia was dead and all that was left was a woman who had no clue who she was or what they had meant to each other. It was not an honorable way to live.

"What now?" Benjamin sat back in his chair and thought what cruel irony had befallen his dear friend. She had lived but died and it was all his fault.

"Why don't we ask Dr. Bashir since he seems to have all the answers?" Triss smirked bitterly. "And while you're at it Bashir why don't you tell me how to explain to the Science Ministry why I will no longer be returning to Trill with Dax."

"I…I…" Bashir was stomped. He had no idea what he was doing anymore; it had never dawned on him that someone else throughout history would have come up with the same obviously flawed solution.

"Well it seems the good doctor is finally out of things to say." Triss laughed. "Captain Sisko I think I should let you know that I will be filing a formal complaint against Doctor Bashir and I would also like to press charges against him for assault and theft of the Dax symbiont."

"Assault, using a hypo-spray on you hardly counts as assault." Kira made an effort to defend her friend in any way that she could. But in truth she knew Bashir was in for a rough ride with both Star Fleet and The Trill Science Ministry.

"Captain, surely you are not going to allow Dr. Bashir to resume his duties at this point?" Triss ignored the Bejoran women, like humans he never much cared for Bejoran's or their mythical prophets. Sisko looked to be contemplating his next move and then with a defeated sigh he turned to Dr. Bashir who sat to his right.

"Doctor, I'm afraid I will have to relieve you of duty pending word from Star Fleet Command."

"What about the assault and theft?" Triss demanded.

"You will remain in quarters until further notice." Sisko added.

"His quarters, he should be in a holding cell like any other criminal!" This was outrageous; any other person who committed criminal acts would have been confined to a holding cell until judgment time. Sisko ignored Triss and again looked to Bashir, "Dismissed Doctor." Bashir stood, still dressed in his surgeons smoke and departed the briefing room bound for his quarters.

"Now I see why Bashir has no sense of responsibility or humbleness when it comes to authority. His Captain treats egregious offenses with a slap on the wrist." Triss mocked. Sisko slammed his fist down on the conference table and growled, "You can get the hell out too!"

Triss stood immediately, not because he was scared but because he was sick of human attitudes. Without another word he exited the room leaving Sisko, Worf and Kira to ponder on this new knowledge.

"We should have let her go." Worf closed his eyes for a moment, wishing that when he opened them he would awaken from this nightmare.

"We didn't and now the question is where do we go from here?" Sisko had no clue what he should do. They couldn't willingly end her life just because her memory was gone. Jadzia was like a new born now; she would have to be taught certain things again. One thing was for certain; her career in Star Fleet was over at least for now.

"Has her family been contacted?" Kira piped in.

"I tried to contact them two days ago; I have yet to receive a reply." Worf sat somberly and tried with everything in him to keep his rage and sorrow at bay.

"For now we will have to wait on Star Fleet I guess. Bashir said that Jadzia would be able to be released from the infirmary the day after tomorrow. Worf, she's your wife…do you have any idea of how you wish to proceed?" Sisko asked. Worf sat back and looked out of the window in front of him. How did he wish to proceed? He had no idea what to do, his firth thought was to do what Klingon tradition demanded…give her an honorable death. But he knew that Sisko or Star Fleet would stand for that and quite frankly he couldn't bear the thought of being the one who ended her precious life.

"I am not sure how to proceed; she is no longer who I knew." Worf replied finally.

"Okay let's just solve this obvious problem, where will she stay when she is released? Maybe it's best that she stay in her own quarters around things that she was use to." Kira suggested.

"That is not a good idea; I do not want her to feel uncomfortable. She does not remember me or our marriage." This last caused Worf's anger to slip a little bit and he quickly stood up and walked around the table and went to stand at the window.

"Okay…what about guest quarters. We could check on her throughout the day, I know Keiko would be willing to be willing to help; she's been really concerned." Kira offered up another suggestion and she hoped this one wouldn't be rejected.

"Worf?" Sisko asked.

"That would be fine." He turned around, "Captain if there is nothing else may I be excused." Worf almost pleaded.

"Of course." Benjamin knew how hard this must be for Worf, having lost his first wife. Worf walked quickly to the exit and then to the turbo-lift. After directing the turbo-lift to his – their – his quarters he began to walk in a small circle. The burly Klingon's breath was becoming labored, his chest rising and falling painfully. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears and every vein in his body threatened to erupt. Finally the door to the turbo-lift opened and he walked quickly to his quarters and entered. Once inside he stood there in the living room exhaling and inhaling and exhaling and inhaling. He looked to his left at the weapons display that was mounted on the wall and with a loud growl he yanked it off of the wall and threw it across the room. Next he grabbed the glass coffee table, brought it up over his head and with one quick movement hurled it into the ground. Worf had lost control; the anger, the hurt, the rage was spilling out and his quarters would pay the price!


	2. Chapter 2

"Why are they staring at me like that?" Jadzia asked.

Keiko couldn't help but notice the stares that her friend was getting from the rest of the residents on the station; and she had known that Jadzia was noticing too. The botanist had agreed to be the one to lead the effort in getting Jadzia settled in and comfortable with what was technically the start of a new life. When she entered sickbay to pick Jadzia up twenty minutes ago she half expected to find the Jadzia Dax that she knew. The one with those gorgeous bright eyes and giddy smile; instead she had come upon a frightened and confused woman he was unsure of herself and everything around her. Keiko assured Jadzia that she would do her best to help her through this situation and learn about whom she was and what her life had been like before what Sisko had instructed everyone to call the 'accident'. There was no need to confuse her with talk of Gul Dukat and orbs at this point.

"Well, Jadzia you are a very popular person on the station; you had, have a lot of friends who care about you. Everyone has been so worried for you that's all."

"Oh." Was all the Trill replied, she hoped that they would be at her quarters soon. The way people looked at her was unnerving; it was like she was a ghost. They all seemed to know who she was when she didn't even know. That was the first thing she needed to find out, who was she? What was she doing on this station? But the biggest question was what the hell happened to her to make her forget everything that she knew? She remembered simple everyday things like language, the way a replicator worked, what star ships were but as far as personal knowledge of her entire life was gone.

After another five minutes they finally reached their destination and Keiko asked her if everything looked okay and if she thought she would be comfortable there but Jadzia ignored the question and asked one of her own. "I need to know about my life, I don't understand what happened to me…"

"I know that's an understandable question. Why don't you and I talk about it over some lunch, are you hungry?" Keiko smiled gently and walked towards the replicator.

"What do I usually eat?" Jadzia was hungry but she had no idea what she usually ate.

"Well you eat a lot of Klingon food, I know that much but I'm not sure what your favorite dish is; Chef Salad and a large sweet tea." Keiko ordered for herself.

"Klingon food…ok ill take something Klingon." Jadzia thought that she might as well try it, what could it hurt?

"Umm, well I know Brigit Lung is a popular dish with Klingon's, how does that sound?"

"That's fine." The Trill walked over to the table near the replicator and sat down while Keiko went about getting their lunch.

"Well it smells good…" Keiko said nervously as she sat the questionable dish in front of her friend.

"It looks horrible."

"You sure you want to try it?"

"I'm sure." Jadzia took the fork that Keiko handed her as the older woman sat down. Jadzia sliced into what she believed was the lung and forked a piece of it and slowly brought it to her mouth. The taste was vile at first but she kept chewing and suddenly the flavors that the lung had been seasoned with sent her taste buds into overdrive…it was delicious.

"Good?" Keiko hadn't even started on her salad because she was so busy watching Jadzia.

"Very." Jadzia took another bite, "So are you going to tell me about my life?"

"Well I can tell you what I know. I can't tell you anything about your life before the station."

"Okay."

"Well you are a Star Fleet Commander, chief Science Officer on the station."

"I'm a scientist?"

"A damn great one!"

"Hmm, what else, you said I'm popular?"

"Women with beauty such as yours, often are." Keiko giggled.

"Oh."

"Yea a lot of the fellas on the station would jump at the chance to date you. You like to play Tongo and you're quite good at it; in fact you are the only one on the station to ever beat Quark."

"Tongo, Quark?"

"Oh Quark is the bar tender on the Promenade and Tongo well it's a Ferengi game."

"So is Quark one of my friends?"

"Yes, but…"

"Suri to Keiko O'Brien," a feminine voice spoke through the room's comm. system.

"Keiko here." Keiko hurriedly replied, Suri was a day care worker on the station.

"I'm sorry to bother you but it seems Kira-Yoshi isn't feeling well at all, he felt warm so I brought him to the infirmary…"

"I'm on my way, Keiko out." Keiko stood and looked pensively at Jadzia who was still working on her lung. "I'm sorry, Jadzia I have to leave but I will be back later."

"Who is Kira-Yoshi?" The Trill looked confused.

"My son, will you be okay for a while?"

"Yes, thank you for helping me." Jadzia smiled sheepishly, though in truth she was afraid of being alone with her own thoughts.

"If you need anything just use the computer, okay?" Keiko smiled and walked towards the door and made her exit. After her new guardian left Jadzia continued on with her meal and soon decided to explore her quarters a little. It had basic furniture, a sofa, bed, a couple of chairs and a desk with a monitor on top of it.

"Computer display any records you have on Jadzia Dax." The screen came alive and after a few moments the requested information was before her. It was just a Starfleet service record, well it was better than nothing, she sat back in her chair and began to read.

Alexander's new orders had come as a shock, he had been doing so well on the Ya-Vhang; had even been promoted to weapons officer. His captain and comrades liked him; and his clumsy streak had become none existence ever since he increased his combat training from once a week to five times a week. He had become more focused and organized. He was now a good Klingon, a son he hoped his father could truly be proud of. He wandered if that was the reason General Martok had transferred him to the Klingon Security Force on DS9. Whatever the case it would be good to see his father and Jadzia again. He had left a week after their wedding and hadn't seen them in almost five months. Jadzia had written him two weeks ago to tell him that he might have a little brother or sister by next year.

Alexander had been overjoyed with the news and told Jadzia to keep him posted but he hadn't heard anything else from her or his father since. This didn't concern him much, there was a war going on after all. Now he was here on the station, walking down the promenade and everything was just as it was when he left. Though he was surprised that neither his father nor Jadzia was at the air-lock when he arrived, again he guessed that they were just too busy.

"Alexander!" The young warrior halted his steps and turned to see who had called him. It was Major Kira, he had met here during his short stay on the station before and he found himself to be quite smitten by the Bejoran woman. Oh he knew he didn't have a chance but it didn't hurt to admire her from afar.

"Major Kira, hello it's nice to see you again." He smiled and set his duffel bag down beside his feet. Kira smiled in kind,

"It's good to see you again, how long are you staying?"

"Oh I've been reassigned; General Martok had me transferred here."

"Oh, well I'm sure your father will be glad to have your company, considering." Kira glanced away for a moment. She had done her best not to cry at the thought of what had happened to her best friend and so far she was doing a good job at keeping it together. When she looked back at Alexander she saw a look of confusion as if he himself had no idea why he might have been transferred to the station.

"What do you mean considering?" Kira stared at him, he didn't know; he had no inkling of what had transpired lately.

"Alex, um you don't know do you?"

"Know what?"

"Jadzia, she…" The Major trailed off not exactly sure how to put what she had to say into the right words.

"What's wrong, she's not – I mean she's…"

"Oh no, she's alive." At least that much was true.

"What then?" he was getting impatient. He knew how much Jadzia meant to his father and he had to admit that he had never seen his father so happy and content in his life. If anything had happened to her he feared that his father would never be able to recover from the loss.

"There was an accident…"

The door must have chimed at least five times before Alexander heard his father's gruff voice shout, "Enter!" Alexander stepped inside with caution after the doors slid apart. The place was in a shambles, every piece of furniture, knick knack; was either completely destroyed or overturned. He looked around the main living space but saw no trace of his father. "Father, can you come out please?" Alexander sat his bag down and moved towards the bedroom door and waited for the older Klingon to appear.

"Father?" Alexander called out again after a moment but still Worf did not emerge from the bedroom. The younger warrior took a deep breath and entered his father's bedroom; he found this room to be untouched by his father's rage. Worf was sitting on his bed clutching what looked to be a picture frame.

"What are you doing here, Alexander?" This time Worf's tone was more at ease.

"The general had me reassigned to the Klingon Task Force on the station; he didn't tell you?" Alexander thought it best to stay by the door, Worf hated to have anyone near him when he was upset.

"No, he did not."

"Major Kira told me what happened, I'm sorry father." Worf said nothing but tightened his grip on the picture frame. "Kira told me that Keiko is going to help her as far as learning about who she was; maybe she…"

"Maybe she'll fall in love with me again?" Worf finished his son's thoughts.

"She did once, she could again."

"Right now, she doesn't even know I exist!" He could feel his anger building again. "Everything we shared is gone from her mind."

"The symbiont, Dax is as lost to who and what it is as Jadzia is." This seemed to silence Alexander for a moment. This seemed an impossible situation and there was nothing he could do but stand there and watch his father suffer. "All that's left is an empty shell of who Jadzia use to be…my wife is gone forever."

"So that's it, you won't even try?"

"Try what, Alexander?" Worf was on edge and his son was working on his last nerve.

"To at least talk to her, try to help her get through this?" Alexander took a couple of steps towards Worf and stopped at the foot of the bed.

"How do you suppose I help her? I just told you she doesn't remember and she will never regain her memory. I should've let her die as a warrior, with honor!" Worf was seething, not because of the situation but because of what he believed to be his own selfishness. He had wanted Jadzia to live for his sake and he never thought about her and what would be best for her. He had a good mind to go and do the right and honorable thing and send her across the River of Blood and into StoVokor; his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the most brutal of words…

"You're a coward!" Alexander was angry now; he couldn't believe what his father was saying. On second thought he could; the elder Klingon had always been a slave to Klingon rules and discipline. Worf's head shot up and his breath became heavy; he was trying to keep from throttling the boy but Alexander wasn't afraid, he was too angry for that. Worf stood slowly and looked at his son for the first time since he had arrived; Alexander had grown taller and could now look his father in the eye. He also had a mustache and sparrow beard, his boy was now a man; a man who had pissed him off!

"What did you call me!?" Alexander swallowed and replied,

"You heard me, you're a coward and I'm ashamed to call you father!" Alexander never saw his father's fist coming and he didn't feel the impact when he fell to the ground but he did taste the blood on his lips and on the inside of his jaw. Worf stood over him, his fists balled tight and his teeth barred.

"Get out before I lose control and kill you!" Worf warned. Alexander wiped the blood from his lip and stood but he didn't leave, he stood firm determined to speak his mind.

"How could you have ever claimed to love her?"

"Leave!" Worf shouted again and backed away in fear that he would do something that he would late regret.

"I bet she never thought you would give up on her this easy but then again this is a pattern with you. Things get a little complicated and you run; wasn't it the same with my mother and Deanna?"

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"No? What did you do to me, you sent me away because you didn't want to face the reality that I didn't want to be a warrior. You let mother go because she didn't fit into your dream of a perfect Klingon wife and Deanna…"

"You have no idea what happened with Deanna!" Worf had backed himself up into Jadzia's night table. He turned around and braced his hands against it. He couldn't hear anymore, it was tearing him apart!

"You gave up on her, she loved you and you gave up on her; just like you're giving up on Jadzia!" Alexander finished softly; he looked down at the ground and shook his head. After all this time, all these years he was still no closer to understanding who his father was and why Worf was more than capable of defeating every foe in the galaxy but when it came to his loved ones he was easily beaten by the adversity that came with those relationships. Worf couldn't breathe, he was lost in thought. It wasn't true he wasn't a coward, he was a noble warrior. He had done his best to be what his father had taught him to be; a man of honor and honor demanded that he chose a wife of honor. K'Ehleyr had mocked everything that he represented and worse yet hid the existence of his son for the first four years of his life.

Alexander was his only son and tradition demanded that he follow in his father's footsteps and become a warrior. Worf knew he had done the right thing in sending him away; he gave Alexander the life he wanted, a life devoid of Klingon tradition. Deanna…he had loved her but she was his opposite in every way. He could not bring himself to even save her life when…no he didn't want to think about that. Honor had demanded that he chose duty over his personal feelings; she was better off with Riker. And then there was Jadzia. He loved her as he had no other; their souls had been intertwined from the moment they met. Time after time he had put her first before duty and honor. Kahless be damned when it came to his beloved; she was all that mattered. But his Jadzia was gone now, their relationship was dead and he wished he was as well.

"How could you abandon her this way?" Alexander spoke through Worf's self-justification.

"The Jadzia I knew is gone." Worf closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You swore! You swore to join with her and stand with her…were those just words, father; just a formality?" Alexander hoped that this would get his attention. His father operated according to tradition an oaths, he hoped his words were sinking in.

"I don't know what to do." Worf finally responded.

"If you can't be her husband right now, at least be her friend. Don't let her fight this battle alone; rather she knows it or not she needs you now more than ever." Worf opened his eyes and lifted his head and stared at his wounded son in the mirror and wondered…

"You insult your father and then you proceed to instruct me in matters of honor?" Worf's voice was somber and the anger had begun to dissipate.

"It seemed you needed to be reminded of what true honor demands. You took an oath with Jadzia and I would bet my life that she wouldn't abandon you if the roles were reversed."

"But…"

"There is no but, she is your wife and if you ever truly loved her you will do the right thing! So what if she lost all of her memories of you, she can have new memories and it's up to you to make sure their good ones." With this last Alexander turned and left his father standing in his bedroom. He taken no pity on his father, he was just feeling sorry for himself. His step-mother needed his father and for the first time in Alexander's life he hoped honor won out.


	3. Chapter 3

"I don't know what to make of this, Colonel…" Bashir stood dumbfounded holding the data pad that Colonel Kira had just given him.

"Don't get to excited but as of right now Starfleet has bigger fish to fry; a reprimand is in your file and Admiral Ross is trying to smooth things over with the Trill Science Ministry. He reminded them that we have greater opposition to face at the moment. Too much time would be wasted on trying to take down of an 'over-zealous' doctor who was just trying to help his patient."

"I suppose I should thank him."

"Perhaps but it will have to be when you return in one month."

"I don't understand…"

"As of right now you are temporarily relieved of duty; Admiral Ross suggested that you use that time to, how did he put it, 'Think about the error of your ways.' Lt. Kelsey will be running things in the infirmary until you return. The admiral and Senator Cretak will be here for a strategic meeting tomorrow and the next transport to Earth leaves in two hours, I suggest you be on it." Kira finished, Bashir nodded and asked,

"What about Captain Sisko, when will he be returning to the station?" Bashir had been personally informed by the Colonel along with the other senior officers this morning that Captain Sisko had decided to take a sabbatical. The captain, Jake and Cassidy Yates had left last night.

"The captain didn't say, but while he's gone it's my job to keep this station and the crew together."

"I wish I didn't have to leave…" Bashir looked down at the pad that was still in his hand.

"That makes two of us, but the sooner you leave the quicker you come back."

"Right…Colonel…" Bashir seemed at a loss for words but none were needed Kira knew what was on the doctors mind.

"Don't worry, Julian; I'll keep you informed on Jadzia's status." Bashir nodded and quietly left. No sooner had Bashir left did the office door chime.

"Enter." She sat down behind her desk and waited for her new guest to come in.

"Nerys, are you busy?" Odo smiled warmly, his hands behind his back in their usual position. Kira returned his smile.

"Never too busy for you, to what do owe this unexpected visit?"

"I just came to see how you were doing; I haven't seen you much since…" Odo took a seat in front of her desk.

"Yeah I know, I'm sorry with everything that's happened and now Sisko's gone."

"It's a lot to take in."

"To say the least," she sighed deeply.

"How is she?"

"Physically she is fine, as healthy as ever apparently she just can't remember anything."

"It's hard to believe that it was only a month ago that we had game night with her and Worf." This memory made Odo chuckle, he couldn't get over how badly that night had gone; at least for Worf. Kira started to laugh too; she wished she could go back to that night.

"I can still see Worf's face when he pulled that card about virginity." Kira's laughter got louder as she replayed that night in her head…

_One month earlier…_

_"And what is the object of this game?" Worf looked miserable at the prospect of playing a human game called truth or dare. In his mind he believed he was too old to play such an elementary human game. Worf sat down on the floor at Jadzia's insistence because she said it would be more fun. "Well the object is to pick a question out of this jar," Jadzia sat a jar down in the middle of the floor with about forty small white cards inside. "You read the card out loud and then you can answer the question and if you don't want to answer then you pick a card from the Dare jar; and you have to do it Worf, you too Odo!" Jadzia playfully bullied her husband and Odo. Kira smiled, in a lot of ways Odo and Worf were so much alike. Odo looked terrified at the prospect of what awaited him during this pass time. _

_"Okay, who goes first?" Jadzia sat down between Kira and Worf looking back and forth between her husband and friends._

_"I nominate you." Worf said dryly and folded his arms over his chest._

_"Okay, fine." Jadzia reached into the truth jar and then read her card. "Have you ever loved someone who didn't love you back? Yes and it was frustrating!" Jadzia rolled her eyes and laid the card face down in front of her._

_"Really, and who could have been so dense as to let you slip through their fingers?" Worf couldn't imagine someone turning Jadzia down, she knew Morn had once but in truth Morn was not the brightest of men in Worf's opinion. He always found conversations with him to be a bit one sided; the guy was so long winded and would never shut up!_

_"You!" Jadzia accused._

_"What?" Now he was confused._

_"Worf, it took me over a year to get you to notice me, no matter what I did you wouldn't budge."_

_"I can vouch for that, she complained to me all the time." Kira chimed in._

_"I did notice you, and I also noticed that you flirted with a number of men on the station."_

_"Moving on," Jadzia rolled her eyes and nodded to Kira to pick a card…_

_The game had been going on for fifteen minutes with fairly easy questions which resulted in no one having to take a dare; but the inevitable happened and it happened to Worf…_

_For several minutes Worf sat there staring at his card and refused to read it out loud. _

_"Oh come on, Worf be a good sport!" She hated when Worf clammed up like this when things got a little personal._

_"I will not read this out loud. It is no one's business!" Worf insisted and laid the card face down in front of him with two others that he had previously read. Jadzia grabbed the card up and read it anyway,_

_"Who was the first person you lost your virginity to and how old were you?" even Dax had to blush at this question._

_"If the commander doesn't want to answer then he has to do a dare, the first one of the night." Odo grinned mischievously and glanced at Kira._

_"That's right, Worf." Kira pushed the dare jar over to him, reluctantly Worf leaned forward and took yet another card. Upon reading it he wished that he had just answered the first two questions._

_"I will not continue with this game!" He threw the card down and moved to sit on the sofa._

_"Worf, you have to its only fair everyone else is playing by the rules; now come on it can't be that bad." She picked up the card that he put down and read this one aloud too… "Sit in the lap of the person to your left for your next two turns." Jadzia couldn't stifle her laughter and neither could Kira…Odo of course sat motionless and stared blankly; he was to Worf's right._

_"The commander's right, this game is ridiculous!" Odo hurriedly got up leaving the two women to laugh even harder…_

Now…

"I didn't know who which one of you was more horrified at the thought of that dare!" Kira giggled.

"I think it was a draw." Odo shook his head and smiled. Soon the two settled in companionable silence; Kira was the first to break it.

"Do you think we'll ever have fun times like that again?"

"Game nights?"

"No I mean, do you think this war will ever end soon? It's been going on so long that I can hardly remember what it was like to have a normal peaceful life here on the station."

"War is a poor chisel to carve out tomorrow…" Odo thought aloud.

"What?"

"It's a quote from one of Earth's Civil Rights leaders in the twentieth century."

"Well who ever said it was right on the mark. I can't see pass this war, I wouldn't even know what to do once it was over." Kira looked sorrowful; Odo reached across the table and took her hands in his.

"Nerys, as long as I came out of this war unscathed with you by my side nothing else would matter."

Jadzia hadn't realized how long she had been reading; after she had finished with the service record she had come upon a personal record and right now she was kind of wishing that she hadn't read it. She had no idea what to make of this person who she once was. She had grown up on Trill, her parents and older sister still lived there. She made a note to try and contact them later; she thought maybe they could help her remember her life on the home world. She also looked up her previous hosts, or Dax's host, Torias, Nelanie, Curzon and the others were as foreign to her as she was to herself. But the revelation that disturbed her most was that she was married – married to a Klingon no less. The same Klingon who was standing over her when she woke up in sick bay…his name was Worf.

"Commander Worf Rozhenko." She had said that name at least twenty times in the last five minutes and it still wasn't sinking in. She had looked up his service record and she had to say that she was impressed; he was quite the decorated officer and Klingon warrior. She also saw that he had been reprimanded for dereliction of duty; the reasons had been marked confidential so she wasn't able to go any further on that subject. She did notice that the reprimand came only two months after they were married. It was after reading this she had decided to take a break and lie down. She couldn't help but wonder at this Klingon who she was married to, why hadn't he come to pick her up from sick-bay? Why hadn't he tried to see her since the day in the infirmary? Question after question ran through her mind until she fell asleep.

Jadzia awoke with a jerk at the sound of the door chime. She rubbed her eyes and sat up on the sofa where she had been laying. It was probably Keiko, she had said she would come back and check on her. Jadzia stood and took a quick look in the mirror on a wall near the door as the chime went off for the second time. She looked okay, a little tired but okay; she turned to the door and finally answered,

"Enter." The small smile that Jadzia was waiting to offer Keiko disappeared when she saw that her visitor was not Keiko…oh no, it was him…it was Worf.


	4. Chapter 4

_…Three hours ago…_

_"Son, you know I love you but do you know what time it is in Minsk?" Helena Rozhenko rubbed her aged eyes lids and tried hard to focus on her Klingon son on the monitor. It was after 2am in Minsk and it had been a long day. She had spent most of the day volunteering at a local Federation out-post. The war had been costly and she even in her advanced years couldn't help but want to help the Federation-Klingon Alliance cause in any way she could. She and a host of other volunteers organized donations of supplies that were to be sent to various off-world bases, alliance ships, and Federation territories._

_"I know, mother I apologize for the late hour but I really need to speak to you about Jadzia."_

_"Oh, how is she? I know she was all excited about having a baby. Oh, Worf I've wanted so much for you to find a good woman and settle down."_

_"Mother…" Worf hardly knew how to tell her what had happened to his wife. The older woman had been overjoyed when he had written to tell her and his father of his and Jadzia's marriage. Unfortunately there hadn't been enough time for the older couple to make the journey to the station._

_"You have no idea what it does to my heart to see you so happy. I feel like I could pass on peacefully now that I know that my worrisome son is finally happy." Helena smiled brightly. She loved Worf so dearly; it had always broken her heart that every time he seemed to find some glimmer of happiness and stability in a relationship something went horribly wrong. The last woman that he had talked about and even brought home was Deanna Troi. Deanna was a wonderfully sweet woman who not only loved her son but her grandson as well. In the next five years after the destruction of the Enterprise, Alexander had come to live with her and Sergey once again; the boy never spoke to his father, only Deanna. She would make sure to contact him via sub-space every month to check in. Worf did not contact her or his father for five years and this had been hard on Alexander._

_Helena knew her son, when there was something that he couldn't handle emotionally he shut down and closed himself off from anyone who loved him. Now that was all over, there was no more hurt in her son's eyes when she spoke to him…only joy._

_"I am sorry I have worried you for so long, mother." Worf glanced away from the screen knowing that he would not be able to burden his mother with the news of what had transpired these last two weeks. _

_"No apologies, now come tell me what is this about Jadzia?"_

_"I um…her birthday is next month and I was wondering if you had any ideas on a nice gift." For the first time in his life he lied to his mother…_

_After ending the com-link Worf sat back in his chair at his desk near the large port window in his living room. He should've known better than to contact his mother about this. He still needed advice and there was only one other person in the universe who he was comfortable sharing his feelings with…_

_"Worf, I have to say that this is quite a pleasant surprise." Deanna smiled and brushed a few unruly strands of hair out of her face. Worf had caught her just before she left for Ten Forward. _

_"It has been a long time counselor." Worf tried to smile back but his effort was in vain. He had absolutely no strength to feign a smile._

_"Counselor? Really Worf I think we know each other too well to start addressing one another by titles."_

_"Perhaps you are right." Worf tried to relax a little._

_"I'm always right." She giggled and then continued, "I'm guessing there is something really important on your mind and I am a last resort." _

_"Again, you are correct. It may take a while, is that alright?"_

_"Of course what's happened?" Deanna sat forward and listened intently as Worf relayed to her the events that had transpired with his new wife recently. She found herself becoming more and more astounded as Worf spoke._

_"You hit Alexander!?" Deanna's asked, shocked that Worf would do such a thing._

_"It was not without provocation, the boy has always known how to push my buttons." Worf defended himself. Deanna shook her head as Worf continued to speak until he finally came to the reason of why he had contacted her. "Should I do as Alexander suggested and try to reintegrate myself in her life or should I let her go?"_

_"Your instinct is to leave her to approach a new life without you." Deanna stated._

_"And you disagree." Why wasn't he surprised, she often took the opposite stance where he was concerned. She never approved of the way he chose to handle rearing his son; why had he even bothered contacting her if that's all she was going to do, he wondered to himself. _

_"Let's look at this a different way, Worf. I am going to repeat everything that you just told me about Jadzia's condition and you tell me what you think."_

_"How is that going to…?"_

_"Just listen. My wife was nearly murdered by Gul Dukat who was possessed by a Pa'wraith. Because of the efforts of her doctor she lived but lost every memory of her past life and of who she is. Klingon honor demands that I end her life but I can't bring myself to harm her. She doesn't remember me and everything that we built together is dead and buried. My son wants me to at least try to help her adjust to this new life she has been given but it will be difficult for me to look at her knowing what has happened; knowing that while I am looking at the woman I love she will be looking at a stranger. Did I miss anything?" Deanna finished crossing her arms, if Worf didn't know any better he would think she was annoyed with him. _

_"No, you missed nothing." Worf crossed his arms, he was annoyed._

_"You haven't changed; in all these years, and after everything mother and I taught you on Betazed you still haven't learned." Deanna let out an exasperated sigh and rubbed her temples._

_"Learned what!?" Yes, he was very annoyed and growing angry._

_"Alexander was wrong about you being a coward, you're not a coward you just have cowardly tendencies in situations like this." _

_"I am ending this transmission!" Worf moved his hand to end the com-link but Deanna's shouting voice halted his intentions._

_"Damn you, you're stubborn as hell!" _

_"Deanna…!" He snapped back but again was cut off by her voice that was clearly filled with mounting rage._

_"How could you just leave her to fend for herself? This is about you; you're being selfish; all you're thinking about is how this terrible situation has affected you and your comfort! For God's sake, Worf just once I would love to see you fight for the person you claim to love…!" Deanna forced herself to stop, she was on the verge of tears. She had no idea where that sudden anger came from; but then again she did. That was the way it had been with her relationship with the Klingon. She was always trying to fix their problems while he was fine ignoring them and pretending they weren't there. There was a time when she wanted him desperately wanted him and it had taken over a year to get over the fact that he had called off their engagement and sent her on her way to live a life without him. _

_"Deanna, I'm…"_

_"Don't say you're sorry, Worf…you never even tried to fight for me and I've always wondered if you ever truly loved me." Deanna couldn't hold back the tears that escaped her eyes; she quickly wiped them away. _

_"I never realized how deeply I hurt you; I never wanted to think about it after we parted." Worf felt like a failure, all he did was hurt the people he loved._

_"Well I thought about it every day for a long time. But this isn't about me; Jadzia is the one who is important right now. Have you thought about what she would think when she finds out about you and she will find out; how do you think she will feel if the man who she is married to abandons her?"_

_"I did not think she would have to know."_

_"Worf, if you lost your memory what is the first thing you would do?"_

_"I would want to know who I am and what kind of life I led…" Worf's shoulders sank, he hadn't thought about that. In truth Deanna was right; all he had been doing was thinking about was how this tragedy had affected him and how he was going to cope with it._

_"Exactly, she's going to wonder why you didn't try to help her. Do you want her first thoughts of you to be filled with negativity?" There was a brief moment of silence as the Klingon pondered her words._

_"I'm afraid, Deanna." This came out in a whisper that was barely audible but she had caught it. _

_"What are you afraid of? That she won't be the same Jadzia you remember or that she might not love you anymore?" Deanna had hit the nail on the head but Worf didn't respond he just stared off to the left and out of the port window. "Worf, she fell in love with you once; and I am willing to bet that there is a part of her that is still yearning for you even if she's unaware of it. Think of it as a chance to recreate your courtship, be her friend; gain her trust and then go from there. Just try, she deserves at least that much from you." _

_"As did you," Worf finally looked at her with sorrow filled eyes. Deanna stiffened up and became visibly uncomfortable._

_"The time for us had been and gone; give her the chance you never gave me…good luck, Worf," with this last Deanna ended the transmission leaving Worf to his thoughts._

Now…

Worf now stood at her door; he had pushed the chime button twice already and still no answer. He thought maybe she was asleep and with this assumption he thought it best to leave. Just as he was about to turn and walk away the door slid open. She was smiling at him…


	5. Chapter 5

Her smile faded as quickly as it appeared. 'Maybe this was a mistake,' he thought. The two stood for what seemed like an eternity just staring at the ceiling, the ground, anywhere but at each other. Jadzia thought maybe that she should tell him to come inside.

"I have to go." Worf blurted out before Jadzia could make her offer; the Klingon turned quickly and fled. Without hesitation she went after him to her surprise, "Worf, wait!" Jadzia called out and brought Worf to a full stop, he spun around and looked at her in astonishment.

"You know my name."

"Oh, well I've been doing some research about my life…" she admitted shyly.

"I see." Deanna had been right about Jadzia seeking out the truth about her life. He felt ashamed now; hated himself for his previous attitude.

"We should talk right?" Jadzia looked just as unsure about what to do next as he did.

"I think that would be best."

On the short walk back to her quarters they said nothing; when they entered Worf stood still near the door while Jadzia walked over to the replicator.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"No, no thank you." Worf replied, Jadzia nodded and ordered for herself.

"Tarcalean tea," after her drink appeared she took it and slowly walked over towards her sofa and sat down. "Aren't you going to sit down?" She wondered aloud.

"Oh, um yes." By Kahless he was short on words today. Worf sat at the opposite end of the sofa and stared straight ahead with his hands in his lap. Jadzia could see the tension in his shoulders from where she sat and she found herself fighting the almost uncontrollable urge to get behind him and rub out all of the stress that had taken up residence in his body. She blinked away those thoughts and sipped at her tea; she had no idea what else to do. She had hoped he would speak first but obviously her luck was taking a real beating lately.

It was a stalemate; he was lost for words and Jadzia wasn't offering up any either. He knew he should probably break the silence and decided to go for something simple.

"How is your day going, well I hope?" There he had said something.

"Well, as good as it can go considering the situation." Worf felt himself blush at her response; he mentally chastised himself for asking such a question.

"Of course, I am sorry, I…"

"It's okay, I feel like I'm the one that should be sorry."

"You, why?" Worf was dumbfounded.

"This whole thing, it must be so hard for you right now…I read my personal file, and yours." Worf sighed deeply and looked down at the ground for a moment.

"This is not your fault; the fault lies with Gul Dukat!" His blood was starting boil again.

"Who?" Jadzia asked. Who was this Dukat; and what did he have to do with her accident? She had tried to find out about her accident but it was not included in her file. She figured that the information was with held until her final situation was realized. But now that Worf was here she hoped that he would be willing to fill in the gaps. Worf finally looked at her; he didn't want to go into that, not right now. He would just get angry again and he didn't want to make her uncomfortable or frighten her.

"I do not think it is a good idea to discuss him right now."

"Okay," she was disappointed but it didn't last "What do we talk about?"

"Anything you want, you said you read your profile…"

"Yes, I wanted to contact my parents."

"I did, the day after you were hurt; I have not gotten a response yet. With the war sometimes it takes weeks before one gets a response."

"War, the Dominion?" Jadzia had read something about some of the missions that she had been on in an effort to end the war against a force called the 'Dominion'. She couldn't say that she understood it all.

"Yes, the Federation has been trying to rid the Alpha Quadrant of the oppression of the Dominion for the last several years and I think we are close to achieving that goal." Jadzia nodded in response. "I will continue to try and reach your family for you. In truth I felt a little nervous about contacting them."

"Why?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

"I have never met or spoken to them before." This fact had always nagged at the Klingon. Whenever he had broached the subject with Jadzia even before they had married; she had become sulky and evasive. She would always say the same thing, '_Worf, honey what does it matter, you're all I need!'_

"But we're married, they weren't at our wedding?" She found this strange.

"No, neither were my parents. They sent their best wishes but the war and the fact that we decided to just hold the ceremony here on the station instead of after the war…they could not attend on such short notice."

"So I know your parents? But you have never met mine?" This was all so confusing, what reason would there be for him having never met her family.

"You never wanted to talk about them." Worf thought maybe he should not have said this last but it was too late.

"Hmm, there must be a reason for that."

"I suppose you did have your reasons but you never shared them with me." Worf sat back and stretched out his right leg to stop the cramp he felt coming on.

"Why didn't you come for me?"

"What?" He cheeks were hot and his breath caught in his throat.

"Today, in the infirmary, why didn't you come for me?"

"I…I thought it best to allow you space." There that was part of the truth.

"Space?" She raised her right eyebrow challenging him; she definitely still had the power to make Worf squirm in his seat.

"I did not want to overwhelm you. Did you not enjoy your time with Mrs. O'Brien?"

"She's very nice, helpful."

"Good," Worf replied. They sat once more in silence, Worf counting the bolts in the wall near the port window and Jadzia sipping her tea. This time it was she who broke the deafening silence.

"I'm not sure what to do or what to feel."

"What do you mean?"

"When I read my profile it was like reading a story book about someone I didn't know."

"I'm sure it will take some time to adjust." Worf looked at her, for the first time he noticed that her hair hung freely around her shoulders. He loved it when she wore her hair this way; she looked so beautiful. He sat wondering for a moment why she had chosen to leave it hanging. Part of him wanted to believe that she had done this for him; that some part of her still remembered him and their life.

"Maybe, but I think I will need help. There is so much I need to re-learn…" Jadzia looked at him hopefully. She wasn't exactly sure what she wanted from him and she; all she knew is that this man had been a big part of her life. If he couldn't help her then who could? Worf could hear her unspoken plea…she was asking him to be her guide. Could he? Could he put aside his own pain and grief and help this woman who was now just as much a stranger to him as he was to her? If he did help her would she be the woman he knew or a new person who didn't feel the same way about him? Whatever the case he could no longer ignore the fierce beating of his own heart at this moment. His heart, his soul wouldn't allow him to walk away, not now, not ever!

"No matter how long it takes, Jadzia…I will help you through this, I swear!"


	6. Chapter 6

If nothing else was true about Itza Lotta-Bain it was that she absolutely hated the heat! The tall blond headed woman stormed over to the thermostat for the third time in twenty minutes and set the temperature to 50 degrees. "Just why the hell did I come to this god-forsaken planet I'll never know!" She huffed and stormed back to her chair at her work desk and tried earnestly to get back to work. In truth she knew exactly why she had come here; her husband had been offered a great teaching position here in San Francisco, California on Earth. Sometimes she wished that she had stayed on Trill like Goran suggested; even he knew that she would hate living on Earth but she couldn't imagine being separated from him for two years. She and Goran had been married for fifteen years and had a nine year old son, Tarapin. Unlike her their young son was enjoying their time here, he loved all of his friends at school and his soccer team. Her husband was getting on great as well with his fellow professors; the men in her life also loved going surfing. It was a new pass time that they had been introduced to and it took up practically every spare family moment they had. Where she hated the sunny weather they loved it!

"Just eight more months," she kept telling herself. Just eight more months and they would be back on Trill where they belonged and she wouldn't have be forced to do her research on several wormholes from the confined space of this two bedroom apartment. She missed her work at the Trill Science Ministry and she hadn't really been able to keep in constant contact with her colleagues do to the war and the frequent communication blocks by the Dominion. She thanked whatever powers that be that her parents had come to visit for the last month. It had been great to have familiar faces around; of course they took great delight in spoiling their only grandchild. At this Itza grimaced, not because she hated the way her mother and father fawned over Tarapin but because of that last night they were there. The conversation had been so positive until her sister's name was mentioned…

_Two days ago…_

_"I'm so happy to have the family together, it's been to long!" Lorna Lotta smiled and looked around the dinner table at her daughter, son-in law, grandson and husband. The sixty-two year old woman had been terribly upset when Itza had told them that she and her family were moving to Earth for the next two years. _

_"Well not everyone, grandma. Aunt Jadzia isn't here." Tarapin innocently chimed in as he spooned another bite of his favorite Earth dessert, rocky road ice cream. He didn't seem to notice the sudden morose countenances of the adults. Jadzia, that name had been virtually unspoken for as long if not longer than Itza and her family had moved to Earth. No one had heard from her since she had gotten angry because of their reservations concerning her relationship with a Klingon. Itza thought her sister was making a mistake; Jadzia had always been a little impulsive but most times it was an endearing quality._

_"Have you heard from her, Itza?" Her father, Anse asked. Anse had always tried to stay out of the quarrels of between his wife and daughters. It pained him that Jadzia who had always kept in touch had now cut herself off from her family._

_"Tarapin take your ice cream to your room." Itza didn't want her son to hear this inevitable conversation. After the boy left she sighed, "No, not since that day. I'm worried about her with this war going on. I check casualties' list everyday hoping that I don't come across her name…"_

_"I thought she would have gotten over herself by now." Goran took a sip of his drink, he had never much cared for his sister-in law and he had a feeling that Jadzia felt the same for him._

_"I thought I was the only one who checked those damned lists. So many names every day, it's a shame." Lorna sat back in her chair; her husband took her hand in his._

_"She must really be angry; she's never gone this long without communicating." Itza said._

_"Maybe she's tried but the war…" Lorna started but Goran interrupted._

_"Don't make excuses for her, we all know the truth. She's chosen a Klingon over her family; she doesn't care how much pain she has caused this family as long as she's happy."_

_"Or maybe she's hurt, I mean she was so happy when she was telling us about this guy and we just berated her and pre-judged the man she claims she loves. If the situation was reversed I think I would have gotten angry too." Itza folded her arms on the table and felt so ashamed for the way she had acted towards her sister. They had been so close growing up and she had to admit that she missed that._

_"Well I still say it is a mistake, Klingon's and Trills; can there be two races more opposite of each other?" Lorna refused to believe that her youngest child was in love with this Klingon. Jadzia just liked to go against the grain, do the unexpected. Lorna was sure Jadzia would get over this fascination like she had with the Galamite, the Betazoid, the Tholian and that Vulcan that she had been obsessed with her first year at Star Fleet Academy. Her daughter had a fickle heart and her fire for this latest love interest had probably already fizzled out._

_"You can't help who you love, Lorna." Anse piped in._

_"No you can't but I know my daughter."_

_"People change you know." Itza pushed her plate away; this conversation had wiped out her appetite. _

_"Maybe; but I tell you who Jadzia really loved, Pisho. I always hoped the two of them would get married, he was perfect for her." Lorna looked off with a disappointed yet hopeful gleam in her eye. Jadzia was nearing thirty and not getting any younger. "When I get back to Trill I will try to contact her, this has gone beyond ridiculous!" The older woman finished…_

Now…

Itza couldn't focus; her work would just have to wait until another day, a nice long soak in the tub sounded like a great idea at that moment. Goran wouldn't be home for another few hours and Tarapin was spending the night at a friend's so she would have no interruptions for quite a while. Just as she stood, her computer consul beeped notifying her that there was an in-coming request for video communication. She sat back down and couldn't help but feel uneasy at the all cap letters, 'URGENT' that were flashing across the now screen. She slowly tapped the monitor; and wasn't prepared for the tear stained face of her mother.

"Mom, what's wrong, why are you crying!?"

"It's terrible…" Lorna trailed off as a fresh batch of tears started.

"What's happened!?" Itza tried to stay under control as she sat helplessly in front of the monitor.

"They've grounded all of the transport ships until further notice because of battle areas nearby, we can't leave…" Again the older woman trailed off trying to gain her composure.

"Mom, you're not making any sense!"

"When we got home there were several messages from a Commander Worf – you know…" Itza was all too aware of who Worf was, looked like her mom's theory about Jadzia having moved on from the Klingon by now had been wrong.

"What did he say, has something happened to Jadzia!?" Fear gripped Itza's heart.

"You have to go there, she's alive but you have to go there she's been terribly hurt."

"Where's dad?"

"He's trying to talk to someone from our government to get permission to take passage on one of the Federation ships in Trill space. You are closer to Deep Space Nine, please, Itza you have to…"

"Of course, I'll take the first transport out; did the message say anything else?"

"It said that her condition might be…fatal. Oh, god she should be with her family; she shouldn't have to be alone!" The tears just wouldn't stop coming…

"She won't be mom; I'll let you know when I get to DS9!"


	7. Chapter 7

Jadzia stared at the photos before her so intently that Worf thought for sure that the vein protruding from her spotted temple would burst at any moment. Very slowly he took the vacation photograph from their trip to Risa from her hands.

"I'm sorry, I just can't remember." Jadzia looked saddened.

"It is alright, it was worth a try." Worf assured her.

"I don't remember any of these photos." She picked another picture frame up from the coffee table that sat in front of them. This one was of the two of them with a young child.

"That's Kira-Yoshi, the O'Brien's child. We became very fond of him after he stayed with us for a few days. Keiko insisted that we take this picture his last night with us." He couldn't help but smile as he thought of young Yoshi. It was this experience that made Worf and his bride decide that they no longer wanted to wait until the end of the war to have a child. Yoshi had shown them what they were missing, what would make them happier than anything in the universe, a child…

"_Worf, we need to talk." Jadzia threw the covers off of her and sat up in their queen sized bed and touched a small pad that sat on her night table bringing the light to 40%. Worf mumbled under his breath and pulled the covers over his head. Usually this was an act that Jadzia did to frustrate her husband when it was time for an early duty shift._

"_Jadzia, I pulled a double shift today, can this wait until I wake up?"_

"_I want a baby." It was simple enough and to the point. Worf's eyes shot open under the covers and he slowly pushed the covers away and sat up beside Jadzia. _

"_I thought you…"_

"_I know what I've said before, Worf but in truth I was scared."_

"_Scared that I wouldn't be a good father?"_

"_No, that I, Jadzia wouldn't be a good mother."_

"_Of course you would, you have spent more years parenting children than I have."_

"_No Dax's other hosts did, I know nothing about how I would react to being a mother."_

"_What's changed?" He couldn't lie to himself; this was something he had wanted for himself and Jadzia for a long time. He wanted a big family with the woman he loved; he always knew they would be good parents. Where he was weak she was strong and vice-versa, they balanced each other out perfectly._

"_Yoshi, the time we both spent with him, it showed me that maybe my fears were in vain. And Worf you are wonderful with him!" She took his bigger hand in his. "You're a wonderful father, a little rough around the edges…"_

"_A little?" Worf smirked at this. She giggled and scooted closer to him._

"_Yea, you're kind of a big softy too."_

"_We have a holosuite reservation tomorrow; we should finish our talk then." Worf feigned annoyance but she knew him too well, the man was amused. "If I didn't know any better I'd say that you weren't a Klingon at all…more like a fluffy kitten." She barely had a chance to give him one of her famous grins before he had taken her by her waist and playfully slammed her on the bed._

"_A fluffy kitten?" Worf growled and attacked her sides and stomach as he tickled her mercilessly. He knew that tonight sleep would have to wait…_

Worf breathed deeply and sat back on the sofa, "I'm really sorry, Worf." Jadzia sat the picture down and sat back as well.

"You do not have to apologize; I knew it was a long shot." Worf wanted to take her hand in his like he always did whenever she was upset but he didn't know if the gesture would be welcomed.

"It looks like we had a great life together…"

"We had…fun." Worf smirked, that had been Jadzia's favorite description of their relationship. In truth they did have fun. Every day was an adventure living with Jadzia Dax and he had to admit that it was also a challenge.

"I look happy in the photos…what kinds of things did we do together?"

"Well, we battled."

"Battled? You mean fight?"

"Yes, you are quite skilled in Klingon weaponry."

"Am I?" Jadzia's eyes widened in amusement as she stared at Worf; suddenly she felt playful. "Did I win a lot?"

"You, always put up a good fight." Worf couldn't help but be mesmerized by her growing smile and startling blue orbs.

"Hmm, I wonder if my body remembers what my mind doesn't…" she trailed off, a small smile still playing at the corners of her lips.

"What are you suggesting?" The burly Klingon inquired.

"Worf, I think I'm up for a fight."


	8. Chapter 8

Worf would have mentally chastised himself for this incident if Colonel Kira and Keiko O'Brien weren't already giving him a verbal one. In truth they were right and this whole thing was his fault! How could he have been so thoughtless?

"What could you have been thinking allowing her to battle you!? Keiko snapped her hands on her hips and she was tapping her foot. The Klingon felt like a child being scolded by his mother for being naughty.

"Mrs. O'Brien I didn't think that…" Worf attempted to explain himself.

"That's right you didn't think!" Kira interrupted, her arms crossed and glaring at her first officer. Kira had been horrified when she had been walking down the promenade headed to Quarks when she had seen Worf assisting Jadzia towards sickbay. Jadzia had been holding a bloodied rag against her forehead and trying her best to stay conscious. Keiko had been in for a monthly check up when she saw Worf bring in his injured wife.

"Really Worf this was so irresponsible!" Keiko shook her head and stared off into the examination room where Jadzia was being checked out by Dr. Kelsey.

"I realize my mistake and if anything happens to her…" Worf's head dropped in shame.

"She's going to be fine Mr. Worf. It was only a small gash and no real harm done." Dr. Kelsey smiled brightly as he exited the examination room holding a medical data pad. Dr. Arana Kelsey had been assigned to DS9 four months ago and had been a favorite among many of the ladies on the station. He was a 21 year-old Maori, from New Zealand whose looks were something out of a story book. His black, neatly cropped hair only served to accentuate his olive skin and dark green eyes.

"Thank goodness!" Keiko sighed in relief. Worf turned his back away from the group and walked slowly towards the exit. This news should have made him feel better but he only felt worse for some reason. The doctor went on talking to Keiko and Kira but Worf was no longer paying attention. He stood at the exit gazing out at the promenade at the passersby. They all seemed to be moving in slow motion against the painful images of his mind's eye. In the blank of an eye every destructive memory which had brought him to this moment flashed through his mind. He saw his biological parents Mogh son of Worf and his mother Rae'Al; they were lying partially under the rubble of the destroyed Khitomer outpost. He felt anger and rage well up in his heart at this childhood memory. Next was the murder of his son's mother K'Elyher at the hands of the traitor Duras. He dropped his eyes to the ground momentarily and realized that those losses did not compare to what he had felt when he thought he had lost Jadzia.

In a way he had lost her indefinitely, what was left was the shell of a woman who could not remember anything about her life. He had been trying to help her for the past few days to reclaim even a fraction of who she once was; but it was clear to him now that there was no going back. Gone was Jadzia Dax and only Jadzia Lotta remained. This was something he had to accept, he lifted his eyes and stared out at the people on the promenade once more and just as he was about to return to the trio he left behind something caught his eye. It was actually not a something but a someone; a woman, a Trill woman. Besides Jadzia there were only three other trills on board, all males. She stood near a terminal leading from air-lock 7 with a mid-sized duffel bag slung over her shoulder. Worf could tell that although she was standing still and watching her surroundings, she was in a rush but didn't know where to go. After a moment she stopped a Ferengi who was walking by and she seemed to be inquiring information. Worf was about to turn away again when he saw the Ferengi point towards sickbay. The Trill woman shot a glance in his direction and they locked eyes. Before he knew it she had bee-lined for sickbay all the while keeping eye contact with the Klingon, a bold move in itself. Usually he would have taken offense to such a blatant action but this woman seemed familiar somehow. It wasn't until they stood face to face that he recognized her from a picture that Jadzia had kept hidden away in a crate in their closet.

"I'm looking for my sister, Jadzia. That Ferengi told me I could find her here."

"You are…"

"Itza Lotta-Bain and you, you must be Worf." So Jadzia had told her family about him after all.

"Yes…" He was at a loss for words, he had never even talked to anyone in his wife's family and now here stood her older sister. He was sure that Itza would provide him with yet another tongue lashing when she found out why Jadzia was back in the infirmary.

"Please, where is my sister?" She looked over his shoulder and saw the two women and man talking.

"She is inside but I feel it necessary to inform you of the situation before you see her; it may be hard for you to understand at first but I need you to try…"

"Why would it be hard, she's alive isn't she?"

"Yes she is alive but there are circumstances that…" Worf looked behind him and then towards Itza. He needed to talk to her in private away from the disapproving attitudes of Keiko and Kira. "If you would take a walk with me I will explain everything." Itza glanced over his shoulder one last time before letting herself be ushered away from sickbay. The two walked in silence towards what looked to be a sitting area surrounded by several replicators. Once they were seated Worf took a moment to gather his thoughts before he began.

Itza sat horrified as she listened to Worf recount the events that had transpired. Since the beginning of this damned war she had feared the worst for her sister. It was these troubling times that had made her wish constantly that she believed in a power higher than herself or science. If Worf and the doctors were right, her sister and everything they shared together growing up had been wiped away forever. Now she understood why Worf wanted to talk to her first, Jadzia would have had no idea who Itza was.

"Dr. Triss is right; rejoining a symbiont to a host has been tested and failed. There are eight cases on file and each ended in the death of both the host and symbiont or with permanent memory loss of the host and a vegetative state for the symbiont."

"I have been helping her to reclaim at least a part of who she was…who she is but after today I feel my efforts in that regard may be in vain."

"Maybe the key in helping her is to forget who she was and focus on who she is now. Jadzia has a chance to start over, re-invent herself. As much as you and I may dislike the idea she will never be my little sister that I grew up with, she's not my parent's rambunctious little girl anymore…and she's not the woman you married." This last gripped Worf's heart for he knew this to be truth.

"I do not know what to do." He balled his fist and placed them in his lap in fear that he would destroy the Replimat.

"I have no answer accept to be there for her, let this situation run its course and see what happens."

"I suppose that is all we can do…but I do not know if this station is the best place to help her deal with what has happened."

"You might be right about that; this place is a war zone." Itza looked around with slight disdain; she and the rest of the family had always disapproved of Jadzia's entry into Starfleet_. 'You'll get yourself killed.'_ Their mother had shouted after a then 17 year-old Jadzia as she headed out of their home on Trill. The family had been in uproar for the last two days after Jadzia announced her enlistment.

**Then…**

_"Jadzia, you can't do this!" Lorna Lotta grabbed her daughter by the arm right before she could make her escape out of the front door. Itza watched the exchange between her sister and mother. Jadzia was determined and nothing would stop her it seemed. _

_"It's my choice mother! This is what I want, this is what will make me happy and if you have a problem with it then that is your problem!" _

_"Are you forgetting about Elgin, he had the same fool idea you had and where is he now!? Where is your brother now!?" Lorna hoped desperately that her words and warning were sinking into her daughter's thick skull. Jadzia looked saddened for a moment and she seemed to be pondering her mother's pleas. But just as quickly as the sadness had come it left and Jadzia pulled away from her mother's grasp and said sharply, "Elgin did what he had to do and so am I!" And just like that she had walked out of her family's life…_

**Now…**

Itza shook the thought of her brother Elgin from her mind and tried to focus on the matter at hand. Jadzia was still here and unlike Elgin she could help her sister. But the question was how?

"Maybe it would be better for her to leave the station. She needs peace and she will not get that here." Worf sat back in his chair and stroked his beard.

"My family and I are living on Earth now; maybe I could bring her back with me."

"I do not know, I promised her that I would stay with her through her adjustment process."

"Well we don't have to talk about this now; I really want to see her!" Itza stood in impatience.

"I will walk you back," was Worf's only reply.


End file.
